There are numerous designs for wire reel and spool holders. However, prior designs have not always been satisfactory. For example, many spool holder designs fail to prevent snarling, kinking, tangling and looping of wire on a coiled spool, particularly during unwinding or dispensing of the wire from the spool. If the wire or line is relatively lightweight, such as plastic line or cord, the spool may be especially prone to spinning freely and thereby unwinding.
Some designs provide for a shell or casing that houses a spool in an attempt to limit continuous or uncontrolled unwinding of the wire. Typically, such a casing dismantles into several parts. The wire is then wound around a core, and dispensed through an opening in the casing. Although such designs protect the wire, they do not provide an efficient or convenient dispensing means, particularly when a relatively large quantity of wire or line must be dispensed. It is often difficult to ascertain how much wire or line is remaining on the spool. In addition, it is often difficult to replace an exhausted spool with a new spool of line, given the housing of such dispensers must be disassembled to replace the exhausted spool.
Other designs provide for a partially open housing or frame, having first and second side walls spaced from each other, and a support bar for holding a spool therebetween and for reducing free spinning when dispensing wire from the spool by creating frictional forces on the spool when dispensing. Although such designs provide some advantages, they often fail to provide adequate protection for the spool. For example, spools of plastic trimmer line used for commercial string trimmers used to cut grass and/or weeds are often used by landscaping crews. In addition to the string trimmers, landscapers often use other heavy equipment. All of the equipment is commonly transported from site to site in a pick-up truck bed or an open trailer, and is frequently subject to jostling, shifting and/or bumping with other equipment. Many trimmer line spools are easily damaged if unprotected, particularly during transport of the spools and equipment. In addition, trimmer line spools are typically made from inexpensive plastic. If the plastic spool is damaged, the plastic line may become tangled, kinked, or unwound. The line must then be de-tangled, organized, or simply discarded, thereby increasing costs. Trimmer line spools are relatively expensive. Therefore, it is desirable to protect such spools from damage and also prevent uncontrolled unwinding. In addition to trimmer line spools, adequate protection for spools of wire or line used at other construction and/or industrial sites is also desirable.
Various spool dispensing carts and caddies are known in the art. Typically, such designs include a plurality of spaced spool bars for receiving spools of wire. The spool bars are generally connected to a frame. Some designs include wheels and/or a handle. Although multiple spools may be positioned on such carts or caddies, they often fail to prevent free spinning when unwinding wire from the spools. In addition, many fail to provide adequate protection to the spools. Furthermore, they are typically cumbersome and bulky. Although carts having wheels may be adequate for some applications, they are not easily portable from site to site, especially if the cart or caddy must be lifted into a truck or trailer.
Attempts have been made to provide a spool dispenser that is lightweight and protective. For example, some designs provide a rectangular support frame with spool mounting rods. The mounting rods typically span between opposite side planks. The frame provides some protection to the spool. However, replacement of exhausted spools often requires disassembly of the mounting rods from the side planks. In addition, many such designs fail to address the problem of free spinning of the line or wire from the spool.
In addition to providing a dispenser that is efficient and convenient, it may be desirable to provide a cutting mechanism on the dispenser for cutting a portion of the line or wire being dispensed. Many conventional dispenser designs fail to provide any cutting means. Therefore, there is a need for a combination spool dispenser and cutter that provides adequate protection and that is lightweight and easily portable. The dispenser should also be efficient and convenient, wherein replacement of an exhausted spool is relatively easy and fast.